Gaming
PS4 Release Date: All Signs Point to November 13
The PS4 release date is the biggest remaining question for fans who plan to buy the PS4 on day one, and it appears that a retailer let the PS4 release date slip in a sign spotted in Amsterdam.
An in-store display shows a PS4 poster which says, “Release: 13 November 2013” and a photo of the PlayStation 4.
Sony previously announced the PS4 release is coming this holiday season, but failed to offer any specifics, as is common with console launches.
PS4 Release Date Leaks
NeoGaf forum member Cyborg posts a photo of the PS4 release date poster taken at Media Markt in Amsterdam, and user DrM claims one was also spotted in Austria on Thursday.
A poster at a major retailer shows a PS4 release date of November 2013.
Media Markt also lists the November 13 2013 PS4 release date online in the Netherlands, as shown in the image below.
PS4 release date listed online for November 13, 2013.
While it is possible that Media Markt is taking a guess with the online release date, it would be odd to see a retailer that spans many countries printing up signs for a release date without any word from Sony. Media Markt operates over 700 stores and is comparable to Best Buy in the U.S.
Another source in the Netherlands claims the PS4 release date is set for November 13th based on promotional materials received from Sony. Henri Alexander posts on the budgetgaming.nl forums (translated),
The release of the PlayStation 4 is also confirmed for 13-11-2013, I do not know if someone has already mentioned this. I saw a price reaction in which someone asked this fact. I have already received promotional materials from Sony which was the date of 13-11-2013 stated.
Placeholder PS4 Release?
If this is not the official PS4 release date, it is possible that one posting spun out of control, creating speculation among many retailers. Bol, a retailer in the Netherlands shows a PlayStation 4 release date of November 13, but clarifies that it is a “Fictional Release Date,” that will be updated.
One retailer points out that this is a fictional PS4 release date.
It is possible Sony is planning a U.S. PS4 release date earlier than the 13th. When Sony launched the PlayStation 3 in 2006, the company planned a staggered November launch in the U.S. followed by a rollout across Europe, but ended up delaying the launch until spring 2007.
Read: PS4 vs PS3: Price, Features, Games & More
Microsoft already confirmed a November Xbox One release date, so it makes sense that Sony will arrive at or before Microsoft. November is a popular month for console releases as it generally marks the start of the holiday shopping season in the U.S.
If Sony can deliver a PS4 release date of November 13th or earlier, we will likely see a wide variety of PS4 Black Friday deals including accessories and games, as retailers look for ways to cash in on the popularity of the console to drive traffic to stores on one of the biggest shopping days of the year.
The PS4 is a brand new console, Sony’s first new home console since 2006. The PS4 price is $100 cheaper than the Xbox One, which is a big edge for Sony, as it will allow gamers to walk home with a PS4, one game and a second PS4 controller for about as much as the Xbox One console.
Read: PS4 Exclusives Announced
GameStop, Amazon and other retailers are taking PS4 pre-orders in the U.S., but only promising a holiday 2013 release date. Amazon lists the PS4 release date as December 31, 2013, a date that is certainly just a placeholder.
We’ve reached out to Sony for comment on the PS4 release date, but did not hear back at the time this article was published.
